وعشand live سالماsafe and sound ماas long as رنّحتswayed بانةa bān tree صباan east wind
وعش سالما ما رنّحت بانة صبا
وماand as long as سبَّحتsang praises فيin السحبthe clouds ألسِنَةtongues الرعدِof thunder
وما سبَّحت في السحب ألسِنَة الرعدِ
And live safe and sound as long as the east wind sways a bān tree,
Live in peace as long as you haven't sighed for the passing of youth,
And as long as thunder's tongues sing praises in the clouds.
And as long as lightning tongues haven't glorified the clouds,
تصاحبyou accompany أعمارages الزمانTime محسداmuch envied
تصاحب أعمار الزمان محسدا
وتسحبand you trail أذيالhems السعادةhappiness والمجدِand glory
وتسحب أذيال السعادة والمجدِ
You keep company with the ages of Time, much envied,
Envying the ages of time, drawing out happiness and glory,
And trail the hems of happiness and glory.
Repeating the good you initiate, though many a generous man doesn't repeat or initiate,
تعيدyou repeat الذيwhat تبديyou first bestow منof الخيرgoodness دائماalways
تعيد الذي تبدي من الخير دائما
وكمand how many منof كريمa noble man لاnot يعيدrepeats ولاand not يبدىِbegins
وكم من كريم لا يعيد ولا يبدىِ
You always repeat the good you first bestow,
Drinking it red as a rose, coffee
And many a noble man neither repeats nor begins it.
Whose aroma hints of rosy ambergris,
وتشربهاand you drink it حمراءred كالوردlike roses قهوةًwine
وتشربها حمراء كالورد قهوةً
يعبرexpresses رياهاits fragrance عنof العنبرambergris الوردِrose-hued
يعبر رياها عن العنبر الوردِ
And you drink it, a wine red as roses,
It has loves like necklaces around her moods,
Its fragrance speaks of rose-hued ambergris.
A brunette circles them, smiling at the necklace,
لهاit has حببbubbles كالعقدlike a necklace عندat مزاجهاits mixing
لها حبب كالعقد عند مزاجها
تطوفshe goes round بهاwith it سمراءa brown-skinned woman تبسمshe smiles عنto reveal عقدِa necklace
تطوف بها سمراء تبسم عن عقدِ
It has bubbles like a necklace when it is mixed;
The empty-headed blames me for her,
A brown-skinned woman carries it round, smiling to reveal a necklace of teeth.
But his heart isn't my heart, nor his passion my passion.
يلومreproaches عليهاover her فارغone free منof صبابتيmy yearning
يلوم عليها فارغ من صبابتي
فلاfor neither قلبهhis heart قلبيmy heart ولاnor وجدهhis passion وجديmy passion
فلا قلبه قلبي ولا وجده وجدي
One untouched by my yearning reproaches me over her,
For his heart is not my heart, nor his passion mine.
Partial English translation: 10 of 12 Arabic lines translated.